New Year, New You?

Does the new year mean you should think of doing everything differently? It is certainly a popular perspective.

Middle age is certainly a place for introspection about life’s successes and regrets, it’s definitely where I’m living right now. What have I accomplished, what have I failed on thus far? It is interesting to consider what time has passed and what is still to come. What can I take on and succeed at?

Lots of great posts/content on decluttering and focusing our life efforts. I definitely feel like I need to create more, and be less of a consumer of content (be a producer!). Listening to Gary Vanerchuk and his messages of focusing your efforts eventually wear away at you. Don’t complain about the money you aren’t making if you are diverting all your time and effort to things that won’t make you money. Makes sense. And if you are upset you aren’t making more money, do something about it. He’s quite clear though, if you are happy doing the things you are doing that’s great too!

I have numerous older relatives and friends and it is an interesting to be with them as they are taking stock of what they own and what is important to them as they enter the final chapters of their lives. All the junk that we collect that clutters our storage rooms, containers, garages, closets and bins is all destined to go nowhere. It’s odd that we collect these things, who do we think we are saving them for? My urge to declutter is growing intensely. Of course a lot of people this time of year want to talk about the need to declutter their lives and focus more. Many people want to talk about the digital detox – the abandonment of social media, computers, technology, cell phones, computers, tablets etc! It’s been done a million times. Love this diagram from @ordinal on twitter – good advice if you are considering a post or manifesto on digital detox’ing. While I think technology can be an addiction, I also believe it can be healthy too in a balance.

What am I going to do in 2017?

Focus more time with my family (spending time with them)

Working on my fitness generally – gym time, diet improvement, healthy amount of sleep – I managed to lose some weight on a loose keto diet in 2016 and hope to pursue additional improvements through that in 2017

Reduction in time spent on video games – since I feel it is disproportionately demanding time from me that I could be using to turn additional financial profit

Doing Charitable works through volunteering time & talents

Creating more stuff to send out into the world: writing, art, video, etc – some original content to amuse the masses

Endeavour to keep my phone out of my family and friend social time, and limit the time I spend mindlessly browsing my phone
Does it mean a digital detox? No, not really, but it means some more deliberate diversion of my finite time into things that matter to me. I wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2017 that you can live without regrets!